Trainer Ron Burke had three of the seven participants in this year’s installment of the Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace at Saratoga Casino Hotel. The top-flight conditioner brought his superstar This Is The Plan (Somebeachsomewhere) to town to lead the trio of pacers in the $150,000 race. Yannick Gingras piloted This Is The Plan who brought his close to $2.3 Million in career earnings to the Spa and wound up as the 7-5 betting favorite in the 12^th annual Gerrity. Gingras moved the standout to the lead in a 26.2 first quarter before giving way to fellow Burke trainee Backstreet Shadow (Tim Tetrick). That one retook command after the sizzling first quarter and cruised through the first half in 55.2. It appeared that after three quarters went in 1:22.3 that it would come down to those two stalwarts but just then is when yet another Burke trainee tossed his hat into the ring. Rockapelo (Matt Kakaley) was the longest shot on the board in the Gerrity and he shook free around the final turn before surging in the stretch. When This Is The Plan powered past Backstreet Shadow turning for home, it appeared that he had the race wrapped up until Rockapelo exploded in the lane and those two photoed for the win. This Is The Plan prevailed by a nose and stopped the timer in 1:50.2, the fastest clocking of the season thus far at Saratoga and in doing so, won for the fifth time in the 2021 campaign. Burke trainees comprised the entire trifecta as they ran one-two-three in the season’s biggest events for pacers. The exacta with Rockapelo second paid $116 while the triple with 8-5 second choice Backstreet Shadow third returned $337.50. This Is The Plan, who now has seasonal earnings of over $600,000, is owned by Burke Racing, Weaver Bruscemi, J&T Silva- Purnell & Libby and Lawrence Karr. The 12^th winner of the Gerrity was the runner-up in the 2019 installment of the memorial race when he finished second to stalwart Mcwicked at Saratoga two summers ago. Incredibly, Gingras and Burke are the twelfth different driver and trainer to win the Gerrity since its inception in 2009.

Live racing resumes on Monday afternoon at Saratoga with a thirteen race matinee that kicks off at Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

The richest race of the season at Saratoga Casino Hotel yielded a track record performance on Tuesday afternoon. There was one division of the New York Sire Stakes for three year old colt and gelding trotters and the $156,600 race saw the favorite not only thrive but make history. Ahundreddollarbill (Chapter Seven-Swinging Royalty- RC Royalty) drew post seven in the eight-horse stakes event but driver Andrew Mccarthy wasted very little time moving the 1-5 betting favorite out to the front end. The speedy sophomore powered through a first quarter in 27.1 before reaching the half in 56.1. The Tony Alagna trainee made it look easy as he cruised to a well-measured length and a half victory to record his sixth win in seven starts in 2021. Dewey Arnold (Jason Bartlett) sat the pocket to the winner and finished a strong second to continue his breakout campaign while Balenciaga (Wally Hennessey) earned the show spot. Ahundreddollarbill now has seasonal earnings of over $310,000 for owners Crawford Farms Racing of Syracuse, NY and James Crawford IV of Erieville, NY. The final time of 1:54 serves as a new track record for a three year old gelding trotter as it lowers the previous mark set by Dayson and Yannick Gingras in August of 2016. It is the third different performance this season in which he has set a track record as he lowered the mark at Vernon Downs and at Yonkers Raceway previous to Tuesday’s record-setting performance at the Spa.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening at Saratoga when the 12^th annual Joe Gerrity Jr. Memorial Pace highlights a fifteen-race program. The Gerrity attracts some of the top pacers in North America and will be contested for a purse of $150,000. First post time is set for 6:45pm.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Trainer Tiffanee Staley and driver Denis St. Pierre have enjoyed a ton of success this season at Saratoga Casino Hotel after relocating here from Canada. St. Pierre is a Spa veteran but this most recent local stint for him is the first with Staley running the stable. The tandem had two horses in on Monday afternoon as razor sharp trotters Reign Of Honor and Tesla Seelster both looked to continue their hot streaks at Saratoga. Reign Of Honor (Father Patrick) prevailed in his first start in the local Open Trot in early June and after a brief stint out of town returned to the Spa to take part in the $14,000 Open on Monday.

St. Pierre forwardly placed the 3-5 betting favorite a bit and got away fourth in the six-horse feature. Reign Of Honor powered up first-over on major danger Exarch (Jimmy Devaux) who has been on a tear of his own as he’s made himself into one of the top trotters at the track over the past couple of months. Reign Of Honor just kept plugging away before wearing Exarch down to score in 1:55.3 and stay undefeated in the local feature. Exarch was a strong second once again while Bridge Works (Billy Dobson) earned the show spot. Reign Of Honor led a chalky exacta that paid $5.10 and a triple that returned $15.80.

St. Pierre and Staley teamed up to go two-for-two on Monday when Tesla Seelster (Muscle Mass) extended her win streak to four. The four year old trotter brushed to the lead past the quarter in her $9,500 race for trotters and expanded her advantage with seemingly every stride before recording the victory in 1:57.2. The win for Tesla Seelster was her sixth in eight starts since coming to town from Canada for Staley and St. Pierre.

Live racing continues on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga when a $156,600 New York Sire Stakes race for three year old trotting colts and geldings takes center stage. First post time is Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Saratoga Casino Hotel | Saratoga Springs, New York

We had racing under the lights at Saratoga Casino Hotel for the first time in nearly a year and a half on Saturday night and the light aspect almost didn’t happen. Some power outages in the area resulted in the track lights not functioning early in the card but the problem was rectified midway through the eleven race program. The feature for the night was the $14,000 Open Pace which consisted of six top-flight competitors and went the way of a horse who was competing at the Spa for the first time this season. The Patti Harmon-trained Kerford Road A (Somebeachsomewhere) was the public’s 6-5 betting favorite after coming in off a strong stint at both Tioga Downs and Yonkers Raceway. Shawn Gray moved Kerford Road A out to the lead in the early going and the seven year old enjoyed soft fractions of 28 and 57 seconds in lap one. After cruising through the leisurely first-half fractions, the race seemed like it was over. And it was. Kerford Road A went coast-to-coast in 1:52.3 highlighted by a final half in 55.3 en route to his first victory in the local Open Pace. Wyatt J (Billy Dobson) sat the pocket to the winner and wound up finishing second while American Zest A (Larry Stalbaum) earned the show spot. For Kerford Road A, it was the fifth win of the season in a year in which he has hit the board in thirteen of his twenty starts. The Open Pace winner is owned by John Campagnuolo, the Harmon Racing Stable and Winners Circle Racing.

Live racing resumes on Monday afternoon at Saratoga with a matinee beginning at Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Cheyanne Mandy

Two divisions of the New York Sire Stakes for three year old colt and gelding pacers were featured on the fifteen race matinee at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Wednesday. Town Gossip (American Ideal-Flibbertigibbet-Albert Albert) came roaring out of the pocket to prevail in his $77,300 division of the NYSS for sophomore pacers. Joe Bongiorno piloted the Jenn Bongiorno trainee who sat the two-hole behind Southwind Petyr (Jason Bartlett) who came in on a two-race win streak. The race’s favorite I’ll Drink To That (Matt Kakaley) came first-over on Southwind Petyr who cruised through a first half in 56.2. I’ll Drink To That was turned back by Southwind Petyr in a third quarter that went in an eye-popping 26.4 and once Town Gossip found open road in the stretch, the race was over. The three year old gelding stopped the timer in a career-best 1:51.1 to record the biggest win of his season for owner Robert Weinstein of Bellmore, NY. Town Gossip was the runner-up in the Stakes Final last season as a two year old and is off to a strong start to his ’21 campaign after recording his third victory in his eighth seasonal try on Wednesday. Town Gossip paid $8.40 to win and led an exacta and triple with Southwind Petyr second and I’ll Drink To That third, respectively, that returned $20.80 and $33.40.

The $78,700 division of the Sire Stakes for colts and geldings went the way of last year’s two year old champion King James Express (Art Major-More Diamonds- Dragon Again). The Mark Harder-trained sophomore didn’t get off to the fastest of starts in his 2021 season but on Wednesday found the form that led him to over $200,000 in earnings and a stakes title last year. Reinsman Jason Bartlett sat patiently with the race’s 3-5 betting favorite who came from off the pace to record his first win of the season. The sophomore pacer powered past longtime leader Major Bean (Matt Kakaley) who came up just shy of the upset on Wednesday in a mile clocked in 1:53.3. King James Express is owned by Harder, Frost, Carleton and Lockhart. Major Bean finished second while Natameri (Wally Hennessey) earned the show spot. The exacta and triple paid $21.60 and $84.50, respectively.

Live racing resumes on Saturday evening when night racing returns to the Spa with a first post time set for 6:45pm.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Exarch (Cantab Hall) has become a force in the Open Trot at Saratoga Casino Hotel in recent months and on Tuesday afternoon, the six year old won the $14,000 feature for the third time. Jimmy Devaux pilots the John Gerow-trained trotter who went coast-to-coast in 1:56.2. After working hard to get to the top in a 27.3 first quarter, Exarch got a big-time breather in the middle half and reached three-quarters in 1:27.2. Pocket-sitter Gigfy (Alek Chartrand) rode the coattails of the winner before coming up second best while Cash Me Out (Phil Fluet), who won the previous two weeks’ Opens, finished third. Exarch, who is owned by Fortune Valley Stables of Ballston Spa, NY, now has six wins this season and has hit the board fourteen of eighteen starts in 2021. The winner was the even-money favorite in the feature and led an exacta and triple that paid $17.40 and $38.60, respectively. Devaux piloted a pair of winners on Tuesday to add to his track-leading tally for the ’21 campaign.

Live racing continues on Wednesday afternoon at Saratoga with a fifteen race matinee that starts at Noon. New York Sire Stakes action will be featured as three year old colt and gelding pacers will take center stage.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Cheyanne Mandy

Simple Kinda Man (Sportswriter) has been a monster since coming to Saratoga Casino Hotel last month and on Monday, the Brett Derue trainee scored in his first attempt in the Open Pace. Simple Kinda Man won his local debut in June when he circled the field behind a three-wide move to prevail in 1:53.4. After finishing second the following week, the six year old pacer moved up into the $12,850 Winners Over for pacers last Monday (July 5^th) and dazzled when he went wire-to-wire in 1:50.4, a clocking that at the time was the fastest of the meet at Saratoga. On Monday afternoon, Simple Kinda Man took yet another jump up in company and drew post seven in the seven-horse Open Pace which went for a purse of $14,000. Driver Jimmy Devaux was forced to take back early with Simple Kinda Man who sat last as first half fractions of 26.1 and 54 seconds popped up on the timer. With the favorite Crockets Cullen N (Larry Stalbaum) softened by those fractions on the front end, the backfield was set in motion in the race’s final lap and invader Chatelroll (Wally Hennessey) rolled past the leader to take over. Simple Kinda Man, who was still in sixth at the three quarter pole, came motoring home and flew past his rivals to record his first Open Pace victory stopping the timer in 1:51.3. He paid $19.80 to win and led an exacta with Chatelroll second that came back $85.50. The triple with longshot Quagmire Bluechip (Brett Beckwith) third returned a hefty $1,107. The winner, who overcame nearly a twelve-length deficit at the quarter pole, is owned by Steve Picarazzi, Scott Petillo and trainer Brett Derue all of New York who also had a Monday score with their Nothing To Prove who scored a hat trick with reinsman Wally Hennessey at the controls. It was back-to-back wins in the Open Pace for Devaux on Monday who piloted Sports Obsession to victory in last week’s feature for pacers.

Live racing continues on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga with a first post time set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Driver Phil Fluet wrapped up a strong week at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Wednesday when the veteran reinsman piloted three winners. The 42 year old Fluet scored a hat trick on Monday afternoon before sitting behind a winner on Tuesday’s matinee. On Wednesday, Fluet made three more trips to the winner’s circle on a day highlighted by a victory in the $11,000 featured race for trotters in which he went coast-to-coast with Mystical Somolli for trainer Meg Reynolds and owner Joe Stanislowsky of Queensbury, NY. Mystical Somolli proved strong on the lead before stopping the timer in a seasonal-best 1:56. The favorite Gettin Messi (Billy Dobson) finished second while The Royal Poze (Jimmy Devaux) earned the show spot. Mystical Somolli paid $8.90 to win in the mild upset.

Fluet’s first win of the day came behind Notmeitsyou (Chapter Seven), a trotter that Phil trains and co-owns. Notmeitsyou was dismissed at odds of 22-1 when he got a pocket ride behind veteran Justice Jet (Jimmy Devaux) in a $6,650 event for trotters. Notmeitsyou surged in the stretch before coming on to win in a lifetime-best 1:56.2 for Fluet who completed his Wednesday hat trick by guiding young pacing filly Hiphopmomma to her second consecutive victory. Hiphopmomma, who now has three wins in her last four starts for owner/trainer Tony Ciuffetelli of Gansevoort, NY, wrapped up the big week at the Spa for Phil Fluet.

Live racing resumes on Monday afternoon with a matinee beginning at Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

Tuesday afternoon’s card at Saratoga Casino Hotel featured New York Sire Stakes action for two year old trotting fillies. There were three divisions for the freshman trotters that went for purses of between $47,000 and $49,000. Gertrude (Devious Man- Ophelia- Broadway Hall) made her lifetime debut a winning one in impressive fashion in the first stakes race of the day. Andy Miller piloted the freshman filly for trainer Julie Miller and wasted no time moving out to the early lead with her. The race’s 3-5 betting favorite, Gertrude went coast-to-coast in 1:57.4 highlighted by a final half in 57.4 en route to breaking her maiden in her first career start. The talented high-stepper had to hold of formidable foe Seven On The Rocks (John Stark Jr.) in the stretch before reporting home a length and a quarter winner. Gertrude is owned by the Andy Miller Stable Inc. of Millstone Township, NJ.

Bomb Hugger (Chapter Seven- Stylemaker- Cantab Hall) remained undefeated on Tuesday when she went coast-to-coast to secure her first career stakes victory and move her lifetime record to two-for-two. Driven by Anthony Macdonald, Bomb Hugger made her first start out of the stable of trainer Melissa Beckwith in the $47,966 division of the NYSS and had little difficulty going the distance on the engine. Gettinmystepsin (Andy Miller) sat the pocket to the winner and put in a bit of a threat in the stretch before settling for second in her first career start while Cranberry Lake (Wally Hennessey) earned the show spot. Bomb Hugger stopped the clock in 1:58.2 in her first stakes victory for owners Thestable Bomb Hugger of Guelph, ON, Canada.

The final NYSS race for two year old fillies went the way of Joviality S (Chapter Seven-Pasithea Face S- Muscle Hill) who wound up being the fastest filly of the day after scoring in 1:56.4 in her $48,867 division. Brian Sears was in to pilot the Marcus Melander-trained filly who left no doubt as she secured a decisive victory as her race’s 7-5 betting favorite. Joviality S made her lifetime debut on Tuesday and moved out to the front end at the get-go and appeared comfortable every step of the way. The freshman filly is owned by Courant Inc. of Delray Beach, FL.

The next installment of the NYSS to be contested at Saratoga is set for Wednesday July 14^th when three year old colt pacers come to town. Live harness racing continues at Saratoga Wednesday (July 7) afternoon with a Noon first post.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Melissa Simser-Iovino

It was a big day at Saratoga Casino Hotel on Monday for trainer Brett Derue and driver Jimmy Devaux. That combo teamed up for a pair of victories on the matinee card including a dazzling win in the afternoon’s pacing feature. Simple Kinda Man (Sportswriter) was impressive in his first two starts at the Spa out of the Derue barn and drew the rail for his try in the $12,850 pacing feature on Monday. Devaux powered the six year old out from his inside post right to the lead and from there, it was pretty special. After clocking a first half in 54.4, Simple Kinda Man just kept rolling along and opened up a commanding lead before stopping the timer in 1:50.3 which, at the time, was the fastest mile of the meet at the Spa. Derue and Devaux also teamed up for a victory with conditioned pacer Dramatist who was the easiest kind of winner on Monday. Derue had a training hat trick on the card as his Nothing To Prove repeated in a $12,500 claimer with Hall of Famer Wally Hennessey in the bike. All three of Derue’s winners either set a new lifetime mark or matched their previous career-best score on the day. In addition to guiding two of Derue’s winners, Devaux also scored a pair of victories behind the Dale Lawton-trained pacers Lindas In Heaven and No Schmo Joe and vaulted into the lead among local drivers supplanting Billy Dobson for the first time in almost two years.

The Open Trot was contested on Monday afternoon as well and had the same result as last week’s installment of the $14,000 feature for high-steppers as Cash Me Out (Cash Hall) rolled to another victory for driver Phil Fluet, trainer Kyle Spagnola and owner Mike Traylor. It was the fifth win in the local Open this season for the veteran trotter who added to his $1.25+ million in career earnings with his wire-to-wire score. The fastest clocking of the meet came when former Saratoga Pacer of the Year Crockets Cullen N went coast-to-coast in 1:50.3 for owner/trainer/driver Larry Stalbaum.

Live racing continues on Tuesday afternoon at Saratoga when two year old trotting fillies take center stage as part of the New York Sire Stakes to comprise the back half of the fifteen-race matinee card. First post time is set for Noon.

Mike Sardella

Photo: Cheyanna Mandy